Lay It All Open
by WolfGirl1331
Summary: Sully returns to D.C. and stirs up trouble between Booth and Brennan. Could this be the catalyst for them finally finding their way to each other? Set between 'The Daredevil in the Mold' and 'The Blackout in the Blizzard.' Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first attempt at fanfiction, after about 10 years of of only ever reading it I just couldn't get this story out of my head, so I figured it was time to start writing things myself. Please let me know what you think. I'll be posting the next chapter when it's done. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bones and its characters, I'm just taking them on a little journey, but I promise to give them back. Well, maybe. :P **

Booth and Brennan were seated in his office discussing their current case. A woman's body had been found dumped behind a restaurant in Downtown D.C. Although they had amassed a list of plausible suspects, they had yet to determine the identity of the murderer. Booth's frustration with the case was mounting.

"It had to be the ex-boyfriend, nothing else makes sense!"

Brennan, as always, provided the forensic counterpoint to Booth's gut feelings.

"The evidence doesn't support that assertion Booth. According to Angela's computer simulation, the killer had to be at least six feet tall. The victim's ex-boyfriend was only five feet and eight inches tall, therefore he could not have committed the murder."

Booth sighed in frustration and leaned back roughly in his chair, causing the bobble-head bobby on his desk to nod along with Brennan's conclusion.

Brennan regarded him sympathetically. Despite her continuing efforts to convince him otherwise, Booth always preferred to follow his own intuition, which invariably led to disappointment when she was forced to contradict him.

"I know Bones, and I don't doubt you or Angela. I just really wanna catch this guy."

Brennan resisted the urge to point out that the murderer was not necessarily male, and instead replied, "We will Booth, but only by following where the evidence leads us."

Booth nodded in silent resignation. Brennan smiled at him and rose from her seat, intending to return to the lab and continue with the forensic investigation. However, a voice from the doorway stopped her before she had a chance to turn around.

"Well, it's nice to see some things never change."

Booth stiffened slightly in his seat and Brennan smiled in surprise.

"Sully! What are you doing here? I thought you were still travelling?"

Despite having declined to join her ex-lover on his travels almost four years previously, Brennan had exchanged the occasional e-mail with Sully since his departure and the last she had heard he had been exploring Asia.

Sully grinned and answered, "Yeah, well I've been doing that for a long time now and I figured maybe it was time to stay in one place for a while. I thought I would see about getting my old job back."

Brennan regarded him with mild surprise, "As an FBI agent? I was under the impression that you wished to pursue a more exciting career. You mentioned several options before you left."

Sully was indeed something of a jack of all trades, having trained in such diverse disciplines as kinesiology, carpentry and emergency medicine, a fact which had greatly impressed Brennan when they had first met.

Sully agreed, "That's true, but I guess I miss catching the bad guys. Not to mention working with talented scientists."

Brennan blushed slightly, causing a grin to spread over Sully's face.

The mild flirtation between his partner and his former colleague served to propel Booth from his seat and across the room. He extended his hand to Sully, if somewhat reluctantly.

"Good to see you again Sully."

Sully accepted the handshake. "You too Booth. So, you and Tempe are still working together?"

Booth hastily replied, "Yep! Bones and I are still partners, still out there fighting crime and catching killers. Not all of us can pick up and go off exploring the world you know."

If Sully was bothered by the slight hostility in Booth's voice, he didn't show it, but simply nodded and turned to Brennan.

"Tempe, do you fancy grabbing some lunch later? It would be great to catch up."

Brennan smiled and replied, "I would be happy to Sully. I have to return to the lab first to check on the progress of the investigation, however, I would be able to meet you at the Royal Diner afterwards around 12.30."

Sully grinned, "12.30 it is. I'll see you then Tempe." He turned to Booth and said, "I'll see you around Booth."

Booth nodded as Sully turned and left the room.

Brennan regarded Booth with a look of annoyance on her face. "You were a little rude Booth, although I cannot imagine why. You have not seen Sully for a number of years. He couldn't possibly have done anything to offend you."

Booth bit back the retort on his tongue. The mere fact that one of Bones' ex-lovers had turned up right when they were just starting to recover from the strain Hannah's presence had placed on their relationship, really put him on edge. Brennan however was oblivious to the emotional ramifications of Sully's arrival, and was still looking at him expectantly.

Booth shrugged off her observation. "Nah Bones I was just, you know, a bit shocked that's all. Plus this case is frustrating the hell out of me."

Brennan looked for a moment as though she might question him, but instead replied, "Then it would seem prudent for me to return to the lab and work towards determining the identity of the killer, and thus alleviate your frustration. I'm sure My Bray will have some findings for me to review."

Booth couldn't resist commenting, "Don't forget your lunch with Sully."

Brennan's forehead crinkled in confusion. "I am uncertain as to why you feel the need to remind me of an arrangement I made only minutes ago Booth. Besides, I will have ample time to review the evidence collected thus far and update you prior to meeting with Sully."

Booth sighed inwardly. Of course she would miss the underlying hint of jealousy in his statement. Although perhaps this was for the best, he mused. Their relationship was still on shaky ground, and Booth was reluctant to further complicate things, no matter how he felt.

"Okay Bones, well, call me when you have something for me."

Brennan replied, "Of course," and left his office.

Booth sighed, loudly this time, and proceeded to return to the background check files littering his desk. At least he could attempt to be productive whilst trying not to think about Brennan's lunch date with Sully.

Brennan arrived at the lab a short time later to find Wendell and Hodgins engaged in one of their usual attempts to outdo each other and be crowned 'King of the Lab.' Unlike Cam who was more lenient in allowing for such juvenile displays of male egoism, Brennan had little patience for it and immediately questioned her young intern.

"Have you made any progress in identifying the murder weapon Mr. Bray?"

Wendell hastily moved to stand alongside the examination table. "Yes Dr. Brennan. The damage to the frontal and parietal bones are congruent with blunt force trauma, with what appears to be a rounded weapon, such as a baseball bat."

Hodgins piped up, "A maple baseball bat to be exact. I found a sliver of wood embedded in the skull fracture which, huh, Wendell overlooked." Hodgins grinned and nudged Wendell, who rolled his eyes.

Hodgins continued, "Once I match make and model, we'll have our murder weapon."

Brennan nodded, "Good work Dr. Hodgins. I'll be stepping out for an hour, so please inform Booth when you have a match."

Angela, who had been making her way over to the forensic platform, overheard the last part of the conversation. "And where would you be going in the middle of a murder investigation? Hot date?"

Brennan shook her head. "No, of course not. Sully has returned to D.C. and I will be having lunch with him."

Angela was shocked and spoke rapidly, "Sully's back in town? And you're having lunch with him? What does Booth think about this?"

Hodgins raised his eyebrows in surprise and Wendell, who had no idea who Sully was, looked on in confusion.

Brennan replied, "Yes, he claims that he wishes to remain in one location for a while and as such is seeking to resume his role as an FBI agent. He asked me to have lunch with him to catch up. As for Booth's reaction, I don't see why that would be relevant to my spending time with an old friend."

Angela sighed and took Brennan's arm to move her away from the curious eyes of Hodgins and Wendell.

"Sweetie, Sully isn't just an old friend, he's your ex-lover. The man who named his boat after you and wanted you to sail off into the sunset with him."

Brennan was confused, "While those things are certainly true Ange, I don't understand your concern."

Angela replied patiently, "Look Bren, I'm not exactly sure what's been going on between you and Booth since Hannah left, but I'm guessing that Sully turning up after all this time and whisking you off to lunch isn't exactly going to help your relationship."

Brennan responded with her usual logical reasoning, "Booth and I are not in a relationship Angela, and therefore my having lunch with Sully should not have any adverse effect on Booth."

Angela sighed, she clearly wasn't getting anywhere with her hyper-rational friend. "Alright, but just tread carefully okay? Things were only just starting to get back to normal between the two of you. All I'm saying is just don't rock the boat."

Brennan replied, "While I am uncertain as to the exact meaning of your nautical reference, I will give your advice some thought. I should get going now, Sully is expecting me."

Angela smiled as Brennan walked away, knowing that was likely the best she could hope for.

On the forensic platform, Wendell regarded Brennan's retreating form and asked Hodgins, "What was all that about?"

Hodgins chuckled and replied, "Oh man, you do not want to open that can of worms my friend. Best just get back to acknowledging my position as King of the Lab."

Wendell nudged Hodgins good naturedly, and focused his attention on the remains.

Sully was already seated at a table when Brennan arrived at the Royal Diner.

He stood up as she approached and reached to pull her into a hug. "I'm glad you could make it Tempe."

Brennan broke the embrace and took her seat. "As am I Sully, it's really good to see you."

Sully smiled. "So, how have you been Tempe? To be honest I wasn't sure I would still find you at the Jeffersonian. I kinda figured you'd be off on some exotic dig or on a world book tour by now."

The implication that her life had in some way stood still while Sully had been away stung Brennan. She recalled her final conversation with Sully, in which she had informed him that she would not be joining him on his boat. He had claimed that, although what she did was important, it was not important enough to be her whole life. As Brennan considered her response, she realized that her work did, in fact, still constitute the most important element of her life.

Shaking off this observation, Brennan replied, "Well I was on an extended dig in the Maluku Islands earlier this year. However, the findings were disappointing. I returned to assist Dr. Saroyan who was at risk of losing her job over a case involving the remains of a young boy."

Sully leant back in his chair and regarded her curiously, "And Booth was here waiting for you?"

"Well, not exactly," Brennan clarified, "He had been on a posting with the army in Afghanistan training snipers. He also returned to help Dr Saroyan at the same time I did."

"Hmm," Sully mused.

Brennan cocked her head and frowned, "You sound surprised."

Sully replied, "No, it's just that I find it interesting that the two of you were able to just pick up and leave like that. I mean, what about Booth's son?"

"Booth considered the impact his absence would have on Parker, of course," Brennan explained, "however he felt a sense of duty and decided that he was needed in Afghanistan."

Sully nodded. "Okay, but what about you? No attachments keeping you here?"

Brennan believed she understood the underlying question. "If you are inquiring as to whether I was involved in a romantic relationship that might have made it undesirable for me to leave for a considerable period of time, then the answer is no."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sully said honestly, "I had hoped that you would have been able to find happiness here."

"Your sympathy is unnecessary Sully. I am quite satisfied with my work and my partnership with Booth," Brennan asserted firmly.

Sully leant forward and placed his hand over Brennan's. "Satisfaction isn't the same as happiness Tempe."

Uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken, Brennan shifted in her seat and looked down at the table. Sensing her discomfort, Sully withdrew his hand and asked, "I assume that Booth didn't have any romantic attachments either?"

It did not escape Brennan's notice that this was the second time that day that her romantic life had been discussed in connection with Booth. Rather than dwell on any possible significance that this might have, she instead replied, "No, he didn't at the time. However he did meet a woman named Hannah during his time overseas. She moved here to be with him actually, however she left when Booth ended their relationship after she declined his marriage proposal."

Sully's eyes went wide. "His what? Wait. You're saying that Booth brought back some woman he met in a war zone, was with her for, what, a few months? Then asked her to marry him? What about you?"

Brennan replied, exasperated, "Why does everyone always insist on insinuating that either Booth or I are concerned with each other's romantic involvements? We're just partners Sully. I was happy for the two of them. I even considered Hannah a friend."

Sully huffed disapprovingly. "Seriously Tempe? How could that not have hurt you? You may not acknowledge it but we both know there's something between you and Booth. I know he's why you stayed when I asked you to come with me."

Brennan was becoming flustered. She had not anticipated that this lunch would turn into an inquisition and was unprepared for this barrage of questions.

"That's not true Sully. I told you I wanted to go with you, but I had responsibilities here."

Sully was persistent, "Yes, to Booth."

Brennan was becoming annoyed, "To myself and to my job. The work I do is extremely important and I'm the best in my field. It would have been irresponsible for me to leave."

Sully pinned Brennan with an accusatory gaze, making her feel like one of the many suspects she had watched Booth interrogate until they cracked. "Yet you were willing to take off to the Maluku Islands just a few years later. Why Tempe? What changed?"

Brennan took a deep, steadying breath as the reality of her feelings suddenly became undeniable and a flood of memories assaulted her mind. Booth's desire to take a gamble and give their relationship a shot. Her subsequent rejection that led to months of uncertainty and uneasiness between them. The feeling of sadness and loss as she watched him walk away from her at the airport and into a war zone. The pain and jealousy which accompanied Hannah's arrival after their return to D.C. And, most painfully of all, she recalled the crushing regret and misery she had felt that night out in the rain, when she had realized she had made a terrible mistake in turning down Booth's offer of a relationship. Despite the fact that Hannah had now left, her relationship with Booth was far from what it had been. Although she had never let herself dwell on the possibility, she feared that the events of the past year had irrevocably damaged what they had had together.

Brennan felt her eyes sting and looked up to see Sully gazing at her with a look of sympathy, even pity, on his face. Silently cursing her irrational emotions and desiring to regain control, Brennan allowed her more logical mind to answer his question.

"Nothing changed Sully. I was asked to head up a dig for what was believed at the time to be an anthropologically significant find in the Malukus, something that would have greatly contributed to the field of anthropology. Therefore, as a leading expert, I felt my presence was vital. Besides, it was an exciting opportunity for me. My work with the FBI does not preclude me from undertaking projects of a purely scientific nature outside of murder investigations."

Sully sighed. "Listen Tempe, you can believe that if you want to, and it might even be partly true. But you were tearing up just now. There's more to this than you're saying. I hate to be the one to say this to you, but have you considered the possibility that maybe you've been waiting around for something to happen with Booth, but that nothing ever will? It's been over five years Tempe. I mean, why else would he have asked another woman to marry him so quickly? He clearly thought there was no chance of a relationship with you."

Despite her attempts to rationalize the emotions roiling within her, Brennan was deeply hurt by Sully's words. No one had ever so blatantly questioned the validity of her relationship with Booth. Not even Sweets or Angela. No matter how much she had tried to fight it, over the years Booth had become the most important person in her life, She needed him in a way that she hadn't allowed herself to need anyone since her parents had abandoned her. It was this need that had driven her to virtually plead with Booth to continue working with her, even after she had rejected his romantic advances. The fact that he had agreed to this, even though it hurt him, had proved to Brennan that she could rely on him not to abandon her too.

Yet what Sully had said about Hannah was true. If Brennan had meant to Booth what he led her to believe that she did, then how could he have moved on so quickly? During his relationship with Hannah, Booth had spent less and less time with her, even being downright rude to her at times. At first she had accepted this, genuinely wanting Booth to be happy and knowing that maintaining some distance from her might have been necessary for him to achieve this. However, as the months went by, she began to feel bereft and isolated, feelings which had culminated in her over-identification with a murder victim and subsequent confession to Booth after he saved her from being hit by a car. She had always maintained that emotions were merely chemical reactions in the brain, nothing more. Yet Booth had succeeded in convincing her that there was such a thing as love that went beyond such physiological responses, and that she was even capable of experiencing it herself. However, Booth's recent actions had only served to prove what she had always believed. That emotions were ephemeral and could not be trusted. Science and logic were all that she could truly rely on.

Suddenly, everything she had come to believe about her relationship with Booth seemed to be thrown into doubt. She felt nauseous and rose rapidly to her feet, reaching blindly for her purse.

Sully reached out and grabbed her arm. "Tempe, wait, please. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just trying to help you see things clearly. You deserve to be happy."

Brennan pulled her arm from Sully's grip and looked at him. "I can assure you Sully, everything is quite clear to me now. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the lab to check on the investigation."

Sully opened his mouth to protest, but Brennan was already heading for the door.


	2. Chapter 2

By the time Brennan had returned to the lab, she had regained some sense of composure. She rationalized that there was a murder to solve, and therefore her full attention was required in order to do so. She had no time to dwell on her emotional response to her conversation with Sully.

Angela, however, was not so easily dissuaded.

Having noticed the distracted look on her best friend's face as she'd entered the lab, Angela made her way to Brennan's office to investigate.

She found Brennan apparently searching for something in a stack of files on her desk.

"So, you're back early. Was Sully boring you with his tales of travelling the world?"

Brennan completely missed the joking in Angela's voice and replied, "No, not at all, I just realized that I was needed here."

Angela frowned. "Not really Sweetie. Hodgins identified the exact type of baseball bat that was used and informed Booth. He's on his way here now to check out a few details before the two of you make an arrest. It turns out the victim was juggling several boyfriends at once and one of them is a college baseball coach. I think Booth was just going to pick you up at the Diner on the way to the get the suspect."

Brennan flinched slightly at the mention of Booth's name, enough for Angela to notice.

"Whoa," she exclaimed, "what was that?"

"What was what?" Brennan said distractedly, her mind attempting to formulate an acceptable excuse for her to remain in the lab while Booth arrested the suspect.

"You flinched Bren, like you were uncomfortable hearing Booth's name or something."

Brennan shrugged and continued to shuffle papers around her desk. Angela stepped closer and said, "Hey, this is me, what's going on Sweetie? Did Sully say something about Booth to upset you?"

Feeling backed into a metaphorical corner and desperately trying to think of a way to get Angela to drop it, Brennan's voice held a slight tremor as she replied, "N-no, Ange, honestly, everything's fine."

Angela wasn't buying it for a second, but, sensing that Brennan really didn't want to discuss it, she let it go. "Okay, well, you know where I am if you need me."

"Yes, of course," Brennan hastily replied, "but, as I said, there is really nothing for you to be concerned about."

Angela smiled sadly and left the office, much to Brennan's relief. Perhaps she would tell her best friend what Sully had said at a later time, however at this moment, she really needed to focus on her work.

Booth was headed along the corridor towards the Jeffersonian's Medico-Legal lab. Hodgins had called with the evidence he needed to arrest his chief suspect, college baseball coach James Anderson, for the murder of the female victim found behind the Downtown restaurant, whom Angela and Wendell had identified as one Elaine Farling.

Booth had been momentarily surprised to see 'Hodgins' flash up on his caller I.D. rather than 'Bones,' but then he remembered that Brennan was out for lunch with Sully. Just thinking about it was enough to foul his mood as he approached the automatic glass doors that led to the lab.

Before he was close enough to trigger the sensor mechanism however, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey Booth."

"Sully?" Booth was surprised, and more than a little annoyed, to see the cause of his current mood standing in front of him. Hadn't he just been with Bones? Was he here now to convince her to go to dinner with him too? For a few seconds he allowed the seed of jealously that he had been nurturing since Sully's arrival to grow. His relationship with Bones had been steadily improving since Hannah's departure, but there was still, as Bones would say, a pachyderm in the room.

"You here to see Bones? I thought you guys just had lunch."

Sully shifted uncomfortably for a moment before he answered. "Yeah, well, we uh ... we had a disagreement and I just wanted to drop by and see if she was okay."

Booth stiffened. The over-protective instincts which Bones always seemed to inspire within him surged to life and he asked, "What kind of disagreement?"

Sully still looked uneasy, even more so under Booth's intense stare. "It was nothing really, seriously Booth, I just need a minute with Tempe."

At that Sully walked past him and through the double doors into the lab, with Booth following closely behind him. Booth spotted Angela nearby and before Sully could say anything, Booth approached her and asked, "Hey Angela, is Bones in her office?"

Angela seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if she was unsure whether or not to answer. Her beautiful features formed into a frown when she looked over Booth's shoulder and noticed Sully standing there.

Booth drew her attention back to him, "Ange," he demanded, "is something wrong with Bones?"

Angela sighed and looked away for a moment, then answered the anxious agent in front of her. "I'm not sure. I mean, she said everything was fine, but it sure looked like she was upset about something. You know what she's like when -"

Booth cut her off mid-sentence and whirled around to face Sully. "What the hell did you say to her?"

Sully seemed to shrink slightly at Booth's menacing tone. Realizing he had struck a nerve however, Sully's observations at lunch reasserted themselves and he demanded, "Why are you so angry Booth? I was under the impression that your attentions had moved elsewhere recently. I'm surprised you would even notice if your partner was having trouble!"

Booth's eyes narrowed and he stepped closer to Sully, while Angela looked on nervously.

"And what the hell would you know about what goes on between me and Bones, huh?"

Sully, now feeling rather angry himself, responded with equal intensity, "Only what I gathered from Tempe at lunch. Tell me Agent Booth, what kind of man cares so little for his partner's feelings that he brings some woman back from Afghanistan and wants to _marry _her after only a few months? Five years with Tempe and you don't make a move, but five minutes with some war groupie who strokes your ego and you're all in? Admit it Booth, you're just using Tempe for her loyalty and expertise, you don't love her and you never did!"

Sully had barely gotten the last word of his tirade out of his mouth before he found himself slammed up against the nearest wall with Booth's hands curled into fists around the collar of his shirt.

Angela gasped in shock as Booth almost growled, "Don't you dare, don't you DARE talk about Bones like that! You have no idea how I feel about her or what we've been through together since you left her to go sailing on your goddamn boat! You shut up, you just SHUT THE HELL UP!"

It was as if all the anger and self-loathing which had been building since Bones had rejected him and Hannah had turned him down had suddenly been given an outlet, and Booth could barely contain the passionate rage that seized him when he thought of what Sully had said.

"Hey!" A voice from across the lab, which had gone silent since Booth had attacked Sully, demanded his attention.

Dr. Camille Saroyan marched over to the scene and glared at Booth. "I don't know what's going on here guys, but this is a forensics lab, not a school yard. Break it up or take it outside."

Booth roughly pushed Sully away from him and moved to the side, still seething and breathing heavily. Sully for his part rubbed his shoulder and glared at Booth. Cam stepped forward, "I think you should leave Sully."

"Yeah," Sully agreed. Shooting one last angry look in Booth's direction, Sully turned and walked out.

Cam turned her attention to her friend and asked, "What happened Seeley? It's not like you to lose control like that, certainly not here."

Booth sighed and prepared to attempt to explain himself, when he happened to glance in the direction of Brennan's office.

She was standing there in the doorway, face frozen in what looked like a mixture of pain and shock. He had completely forgotten she was in the lab, his fight with Sully having completely consumed his attention.

He made a move towards her, "Bones, I ..." Without a word, Brennan spun on her heel and practically ran past him towards the exit that Sully had just used. Not to catch up with him, but to get herself as far away from the pain and humiliation caused by the confrontation as possible.

Booth reached out to stop her and felt a sharp tug on his arm. He turned and found himself caught in the burning gaze of one seriously angry pregnant artist. Angela moved closer to Booth, the menace in her eyes rivaling even that which had been present in Booth's own eyes only minutes before.

"Now you listen to me Seeley Joseph Booth. I am pregnant, I am hormonal, and I am not to be messed with. I'm not exactly sure what that display of testosterone was all about, but I do know my best friend was hurt by it. You and Brennan have been dancing around whatever this thing is or isn't between you for years, and it's obviously hurting you both. This has to stop Booth. You know as well as I do that Bren doesn't deal well with intense emotions that she can't rationalize or compartmentalize. If this is going to get sorted out, it's got to come from you."

Angela's tone softened at the crestfallen expression on Booth's face. "Listen studly, you're always asking Brennan to speak in plain language. Maybe it's time for you to do the same. Go find her and make this right."

At that she smiled and patted his arm, leaving Booth to ponder his next move.

**So what do you all think so far? My plan is to do another 2 chapters, which I'll post as soon as they've made their way from my head to the page :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Well I've been delighted with the response to the first two chapters, I didn't expect so many story alerts and favorites, so thank you for that. Thanks also to those of you who were kind enough to leave a review, it's very encouraging for a beginner! **

**This chapter is partly inspired by the lyrics of 'It's Only Love' by Heather Nova, which I think fit the situation perfectly. However, this is not a songfic, so it's not necessary for you to know the song to enjoy the chapter, I just thought I'd mention it. Check it out on youtube if you fancy it though.**

**There were a couple of editing issues with the other chapters as I was just getting used to this site, like the absence of breaks between scenes, but I'll have those sorted from this chapter onwards. **

**Just as a reminder, this story is set after Hannah left but before the candle conversation in 'The Blackout in the Blizzard.' Although I thought that was a fantastic scene, I wanted to take Booth and Brennan in a different direction, so I chose to pretend that it never happened. **

**So, if you enjoy it then please let me know, I'd love to hear from you. I'm sorry it's a bit long, but I just couldn't stop Booth talking, I hope you can see why. :D**

Booth had left the lab soon after his confrontation with Sully, his mind still reeling from Sully's accusations and Bones' rapid exit.

He always felt a certain amount of anger with himself whenever he was physically violent towards anyone, even if it was a murder suspect who probably deserved it or just a guy who dared to mouth off about his partner. Such actions echoed those of his abusive alcoholic father, and Booth would be damned if he would ever become like him.

Sully's words had stirred something in him however, or more accurately, the person to whom those words referred to had.

Bones.

Booth sighed as he reached into his pants pocket for his car keys. Whether she was being targeted by corrupt cops or psychopathic killers, confusing him with her scientific jargon or stubbornly refuting the religious beliefs he had held to all his life, Temperance Brennan had the uncanny ability to provoke strong emotions within him that were often too profound to ignore.

As he reached his vehicle and moved to unlock the door, he glanced over to the passenger side and recalled the scene which had caused him many a sleepless night while he had lain in bed next to Hannah. His partner's tear-stained face and broken voice as he was forced to tell her that, despite her realization that she had made a mistake in rejecting him, she was too late, and Hannah was not a consolation prize.

He had hated hurting her, but he had been with Hannah, the woman who had given up her exciting life reporting from the frontlines in Afghanistan to be with him in D.C., a far from small sacrifice on her part, he knew. What kind of man would he have been to end things with her just because Bones had had an epiphany?

He frowned when he recalled something Sully had said that had cast similar doubts upon his character. "_What kind of man cares so little for his partner's feelings that he brings some woman back from Afghanistan and wants to _marry_ her after only a few months?"_

It seemed that in trying to do right by one of the women in his life, he had ended up hurting the other. Standing alone in the parking lot of the Jeffersonian, Booth realized that he had already lost one of those women, and was quite possibly on the verge of losing the other.

With a renewed determination to follow Angela's advice and make things right between him and Bones, he got into his car and set off into the afternoon traffic. He had a pretty good idea where he would find her.

)()()()()()()()()(

Brennan sat alone on a bench by the reflecting pool, a now cold cup of coffee sitting forgotten next to her.

She didn't know what to think. No, she corrected herself, she always knew what to think, thinking was what she did best, it was what to feel that always caused her so much confusion and anxiety. Today was no exception.

She had already felt emotionally battered from her lunch with Sully, and had desired to re-focus her attention on the case to enable her to compartmentalize those decidedly uncomfortable feelings which Sully's words had stirred up.

She had returned to the lab, only to be questioned by Angela about the one thing, or rather the one man, that she had least wanted to discuss. Having successfully convinced Angela to let the matter drop, if somewhat reluctantly, she then found herself the focus of an intense altercation between her partner and former lover, right in the one place where she had always relied on the predominance of logic and reason.

Her thoughts whirled about her mind as she tried to make sense of what she had heard.

Although she had missed the beginning of the argument, her attention only having been aroused by the loud bang of Sully being slammed into a wall, it seemed that Sully had reiterated to Booth what he had said to Brennan earlier about the state of their relationship.

She remembered Angela's advice about not 'rocking the boat' by spending time with Sully. Well, Brennan thought ruefully, despite her awkwardness with metaphors, she had to admit that the boat had been well and truly rocked.

She was pulled from her reverie by the sound of familiar footfalls on the tarmac nearby. She looked up to see the object of her musings approaching her. Silently she moved the coffee cup and shifted slightly on the bench to allow him to sit down. Booth spoke first.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied without meeting his eyes.

Recalling what Angela had said about this needing to come from him, Booth turned to face her, willing her to look at him.

"Bones …," he took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be fixed by another conversation about a line needing to exist between partners or the insistence that they were the centre that must hold. They were beyond that now. It was time to lay it all open, if he could get Brennan to listen that is.

Booth cleared his throat and tried again.

"Bones, listen I'm really sorry about what happened back at the lab, I should never have lost it like that. Sully just … well, he said some things that made me really angry, and I guess I just snapped."

Brennan nodded slowly, still refusing to meet his gaze as she fiddled with the strap of her coat. Booth couldn't help but notice that it was the same white coat that she had been wearing on that fateful night outside FBI headquarters when he had taken a gamble - and lost. That was just one of the many moments he knew they would have to discuss if their relationship was to move forward.

He decided to begin with what had led him to attack Sully. Despite his dislike of his former colleague, Booth couldn't deny that what he had said about his recent behavior towards Brennan hadn't been that far from the truth.

"You and Sully spoke about me at lunch, didn't you?"

Brennan nodded her assent, that much had been made obvious to both Booth and the entire forensics lab when Sully had let loose with his accusations.

"Care to tell me what he said? I mean, I got the gist of it right before I introduced him to the wall, but I would like to hear it from you."

Brennan finally raised her eyes to meet his, and Booth was shocked and saddened by what he saw in their cerulean depths. She looked … broken. Booth felt a wave of guilt wash over him, but forced it back so he could listen to the words she was finally about to speak.

"He said a lot of things Booth. He implied that my life had somehow stagnated in the years since he last saw me, believing that there ought to be more to my life than my work. He questioned my decision to go to the Malukus and yours to leave for Afghanistan, wondering how you could leave Parker and how I could walk away from my commitments here."

Booth bit back an angry retort. Was it not enough that the bastard had questioned his relationship with Bones, now it turned out he had also had the audacity to imply that Booth was an uncaring father who had abandoned his son? Booth felt the now familiar stirrings of rage that had prompted him to attack Sully in the first place. Now knowing what else he had said, Booth thought Sully had gotten off lightly.

Brennan's deep breath as she prepared herself to voice the most hurtful part of what Sully had said forced Booth's attention back to their conversation.

"He also expressed his shock at your relationship and subsequent proposal to Hannah, believing that this demonstrated a lack of feeling and consideration for me on your part, and that I was sacrificing my happiness by waiting around for a relationship with you that will never happen."

At this Booth could no longer contain himself. He stood up abruptly and began pacing, lifting his fist every so often as if to strike something, then dropping it again and shaking his head in exasperation.

Brennan continued on regardless.

"The thing is Booth, I think he was right."

Booth whirled around to face her, hurt and anger evident on his face.

"What? How can you say that? You really think that I don't care about you? That I would deliberately set out to hurt you like that?"

A pained expression formed on Brennan's face and she launched herself to her feet to stand in front of him.

"No Booth of course not, that's not what I meant. I was referring to what he said about me."

Booth was taken aback. As far as he could remember, Brennan had never allowed anyone to question her passion or commitment to her work.

"But, Bones, come on, you know that isn't true. Your work is really important and that dig in the Maipoopoos or wherever was supposed to help you discover the origins of humankind or something, right? It made sense that you went out there."

Brennan smiled slightly as Booth echoed her own reasoning when faced with Sully's questions, if far less accurately.

"Yes, that's true. But Booth, anthropologists throughout the world have made numerous discoveries over the years that we have worked together, however I have never felt such a strong inclination to contribute my own expertise before. I had always believed that my place was here, as your partner."

Booth regarded her solemnly. He didn't need to ask why this time had been different. It had been different for him too. Back before Brennan had rejected his offer of a relationship, Booth would never have considered abandoning their partnership for a posting overseas. In the wake of Sully's words to him however, he was forced to admit that being thousands of miles away from Bones and the pain of her rejection had been far easier that trying to deal with it head on. Booth sighed inwardly, that had sure worked out well.

Knowing that now was the time to be honest with her, Booth spoke softly.

"Things were different for me this time too, Bones. I just …," Booth struggled against his pride to find the right words, "I guess I needed to put some distance between us. It … it hurt me a lot when you refused to give a relationship with me a chance."

Brennan's face fell, and she replied, "I know Booth, and I'm truly sorry for that. I honestly never wanted to hurt you. But please try to see it from my point of view. You asked me to give a relationship between us 'a shot,' a gamble, with all the uncertainty that such an endeavor would bring. Booth I'm a scientist, I live my life by adhering to scientific principles and evidence which can be empirically observed. And, although, admittedly, my beliefs have evolved somewhat over the years that we have been partners, I could not and I cannot enter into a relationship with you on those terms. You mean too much to me Booth. I honestly believed that I was unable to provide you with the intimacy and emotional commitment that you deserved. As much as I wished things were different, I wanted you to find someone who could give you those things."

Booth huffed dejectedly, "Yeah, and look how well that turned out."

Brennan looked down for a moment and gathered her resolve. Hannah. It was time to discuss the pachyderm in the room.

"I never told you how sorry I was that things didn't work out between you and Hannah, Booth."

At this Booth's eyes clouded over and his voice adopted an accusatory tone, "Are you really sorry, Bones? You broke down that night after the Lauren Eames case and told me that you had made a mistake, that you had missed your chance with me. I hated seeing you hurt like that Bones, I really did, but what did you expect me to do? Go home, dump Hannah, and then run into your arms just because you decided after all this time that you wanted me? I cared for Hannah, and I couldn't do that to her."

Brennan's eyes had filled with tears as she listened to Booth's words, and her voice was soft and barely audible, "I know, and I'm sorry. I was scared Booth, I had never felt such intense emotions before and I didn't know how to deal with them. I understand now that expressing them to you was not appropriate and that I ought to have kept them to myself."

Booth sighed, exasperated and a little regretful at the tone he had taken with her. This conversation was far harder than he had thought it was going to be.

"Bones I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so harsh with you. It's just …," his jaw clenched as he tried to control his own emotions. "this is so damn frustrating, you know? We dance around this," he gestured aimlessly between them, "this _thing_ we have between us for over four years, then, I take a gamble, and you turn me down. Then, almost a year later, after we've literally run thousands of miles away from each other and come back again, you tell me you regret that decision, and that you want to be with me, which would be great and all, if I weren't with another woman at the time."

Booth threw up his hands in exasperation, "And now, said woman having also rejected me, I'm standing here with you trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself, because I can't go back to how it was before Bones, not anymore, but …," he hesitated briefly, "but I don't know how to go forward either."

His eyes locked with hers, tears now evident in his gaze, too, and almost pleaded with her, "Bones, I need your help here. I know emotions aren't your thing, but I've gotta tell you, they haven't been my thing lately either, so I'm hoping maybe we can figure a way out of this mess together."

Booth then took a deep, anxious breath and waited for Brennan's response. He was terrified she'd run, or worse, try to rationalize his feelings in a futile attempt to maintain the status quo.

She did neither.

Instead, as she had done so many times in the past, Brennan surprised him. She didn't speak, but simply let herself fall against him, her head finding its place on his shoulder, her arms encircling him and clutching fistfuls of his trench coat.

It took Booth a moment to respond, but he soon shook off his surprise and returned the embrace, not knowing what else to do.

It was Brennan who recovered first, pulling back from him and looking into his eyes. Her expression tearful, yet determined.

"I want that too Booth, and I agree, we can't go back to the way things were. The laws of time and space will only allow living organisms to move forward, and to that end I feel I ought to correct a statement you made earlier."

Booth swallowed, fearful of what she might say.

Brennan continued, "You claimed that I had only decided I wanted you after the Lauren Eames case, but that is not true, Booth. I had wanted you long before then. As I said earlier, I turned down your offer of a relationship because I thought I couldn't be the woman you needed me to be. I did not once say that I did not _want_ to be that woman."

Booth was stunned. Brennan had never spoken so openly about her feelings for him, and he felt a glimmer of hope rise in his chest. Yet, he was still hesitant. He needed her to lay it out for him, with no doubt as to what she was saying.

"You said you _thought_ that you couldn't be that woman. Does that mean you've changed your mind?"

Brennan hesitated, and, despite the emotions roiling within him and his almost desperate need to hear her answer, Booth knew he had to be patient with her, so he forced himself to remain silent until she spoke again.

Brennan took a deep breath before she responded, "I would love to say yes Booth, unequivocally and with absolute certainty, but I can't do that. What I said about my nature as a scientist has not changed, and I would hope that you would not want it to, as it is what makes me who I am."

Suddenly seeing an opportunity that his wounded pride had once caused him to miss, Booth took her hands in his and spoke passionately, "I understand that Bones, and let me say something I should have said that night I asked you to give us a shot. You said then that you couldn't change, what I never told you was that I never wanted you to."

Feeling a desperate need to finally make her understand how he felt, Booth continued, "I don't want you to stop telling me things like my penis is gonna shrink if I don't eat organic food. I don't want you to stop using scientific jargon, even though most of the time I have no idea what you're talking about."

Brennan smiled through the tears that were now falling down her face.

"I would never ask you to stop being you Bones, but I think you're undervaluing a part of yourself that is equally important to who you are, a part which has nothing to do with science or that incredible brain of yours."

Brennan's brow furrowed in confusion, "What are you talking about Booth?"

"I'm talking about this, Bones." He raised his right hand and placed it over her heart, causing her to catch her breath at the unexpected contact.

Booth moved a few inches closer, his eyes holding hers in an intense gaze that Brennan couldn't help but be drawn into.

"I'm talking about the kindness and compassion that you have shown to the victims of the murders we have investigated, and not just the ones who have died. I've watched you comfort and empathize with foster kids caught up in bad situations. I've seen you place your hand over those of people grieving in the interrogation room. I've watched you passionately fight for justice for victims on the witness stand, and so many other things that too many people don't take the time to notice about you."

Booth closed the last distance between them and placed his hands on either side of her face, willing her to believe his next words.

"And, more than all those things, Bones, I know what you've done for me. When I told you all those years ago about the man I had to kill in front of his 8 year old son, you just put your hand on my arm and listened. No judgments. No attempts to rationalize what I had done. You were just there for me. I knew then that you weren't the cold-hearted scientist that you made yourself out to be. Since then you've only proven me right on that, time and again. You've supported me, risked your life for me, reassured me when I had doubts about the sort of father I am, and you've been the best damn partner that a guy could ever ask for. Don't you see Bones? You don't have to try to be that woman you think I need you to be – you already are."

Brennan had given up trying to stop her tears when Booth had begun his impassioned speech. She looked into his eyes and saw his desperate desire for her to believe him, for her to accept the evidence that he had presented her with. Although it took the denial of all that she had come to believe about the impermanence of emotions and her life-long reliance on empiricism and scientific fact, Brennan smiled and for the first time in her life allowed herself to believe that she could truly make another person happy, just by being herself.

She had always thought that her social awkwardness, her intimidating intellect and her fears about romantic commitment would forever keep her from having the kind of relationship which Booth had sought from her. Yet, standing there with his hands cupping her face, she acknowledged that Booth already knew and accepted all these things about her, and wanted to be with her regardless.

Her smile widened and she reached out to caress Booth's face, watching with pleasure as his own smile grew and his eyes seemed to shine in the now dwindling light of the approaching evening.

It was the most intimate moment of her life, and she hoped that the next word she spoke would only promise many more of them.

"Okay."

Booth felt his pulse racing, did she mean …

"Okay? Does that mean … Are you willing to give a relationship with me a chance?"

Brennan couldn't resist adopting a teasing tone, "I believe you can infer that from what I said, yes."

If it was possible, Booth's grin got even wider and he leant forward so that his forehead was touching hers, as he spoke almost reverently, "You won't regret this Bones, I promise."

Brennan replied, "Although I must point out that you cannot say that for certain, Booth, I find that I believe you."

Booth chuckled. She was still his Bones, always having to contradict him.

Suddenly becoming serious again, Booth pulled his face away from hers and spoke clearly, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"I can't tell you how happy that makes me Bones, and I want nothing more than to be with you. But I don't want to rush this, I want to do this right. As much as I want you, I don't want us to just jump into bed before we've had the chance to explore this. I want to spend time with you, watch movies with you, take you out to dinner."

Brennan smiled, "You want to court me?"

Booth laughed and replied, "Well, I'm not a medieval knight Bones, but yeah, that's pretty much the idea."

Brennan cocked her head as her tone changed to that of the instructional scientist, "Actually, the age of chivalry dates back to the –"

Before she could finish her sentence however, Booth's mouth descended on hers in a kiss that revealed all the passion that he had forced himself to repress almost since the day he had met her.

Her observations about chivalry seemingly forgotten, Brennan wrapped her arms around Booth and kissed him back just as passionately.

**Well, that was a bit of a marathon now wasn't it? I hope you're all still with me! I didn't really mean for it to get this long, and I probably could have split it into two chapters, but I didn't want to interrupt the flow and I just couldn't seem to stop writing. There will now be two additional chapters following this one, plus I had an idea for another story halfway through writing this, so I guess inspiration has found me. **

**The next chapter will be a lot less angsty and more fun, let's just say that Angela and shopping are involved ;) **

**Please review, even if it's just to let me know that you managed to get to the end without falling asleep. Thanks guys. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Well first off I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review the last chapter, I really appreciate it, and it was great to know that nobody thought it was too long. Since I tend to let my characters run away with me, it's good to know that you guys don't mind, because they've definitely done it again! It was Angela's fault really, I just can't control her, nor would I try. **

**Also, thank you to those of you who put this story on alert, it really encourages me to write knowing that people are looking forward to reading more.**

**Okay, so here we go with the 'courting' stage! The last chapter was obviously very angsty, but now that we've dealt with that, this one promises to be more fun. I hope you'll all enjoy it just as much.**

**On a side note, some of you have mentioned that you'd like to see Sully get it in the neck for the things he said. All I'll say for now is that I haven't forgotten about him, and we'll be seeing him again before the final chapter ends!**

**Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks. :D**

Brennan's mind was a whirlwind of emotions as she tried to focus on the skeletal remains in front of her. Given her somewhat unfocussed state, she was thankful that she was not currently involved in an active murder investigation, but rather working to identify a set of remains from limbo.

A few weeks had passed since she and Booth had decided to pursue a romantic relationship. A smile formed on her lips as she recalled Booth's desire to 'court' her for a time before they engaged in activities of a more intimate nature. This was not something that Brennan was accustomed to. While of course she had dated a number of men in the past, those occasions had invariably led to sexual encounters with the purpose of satisfying biological urges, and were not precursors to more lasting romantic involvements.

With Booth however, Brennan found herself to be more than willing to accept a slower pace to their relationship. Given the difficulties and emotional trauma of the journey they had taken to reach this point, she concurred with Booth's belief that they ought to refrain from engaging in sexual intercourse, or making love as he would call it, until they had had time to process the change in their relationship.

That evening after their conversation by the reflecting pool, they had opted to return to Booth's apartment and spend some time alone together, knowing that they would both be required to explain themselves to their friends the following day. Booth had ordered Thai food while she had poured them each a glass of scotch. They had spent the rest of the evening sitting on Booth's couch and talking – really talking. It had been so long since they had felt able to communicate so openly with each other, and they relished the opportunity that their new relationship afforded them, including, as Booth had commented while flashing his best 'charm' smile, the ability to touch and kiss each other whenever they felt the urge. Brennan found that she enjoyed that particular perk, too.

Walking into the lab the next day, Brennan had barely made it to her office before she was bombarded with questions from her pregnant and highly agitated best friend. Having managed to calm Angela sufficiently to allow her to explain, Brennan had smiled and happily informed her friend that she and Booth were finally a couple. She chose to keep the more intimate details of their conversation to herself however, recalling what Booth had once said about "what happens between us should just be ours."

Angela's squeal of delight had sent Hodgins rushing across from the forensics platform to his wife's side, fearing there was a problem with the baby. When Angela had explained the reason for her outburst, Hodgins had turned to Brennan with a wide grin and said, "Congrats Dr. B, it's about time." Cam, whose attention had also been attracted by Angela's squeal and was standing in the doorway of Brennan's office, simply smiled and shook her head, glad that her friends had finally worked things out.

That had been several weeks ago now, and Booth and Brennan had been dealing with a heavier than usual caseload, only closing their most recent case the previous day. To their mutual frustration, this had resulted in them having little time to devote to their new relationship. Given that they were still partners, they had of course spent plenty of time together, but had only been able to grab a few lunches at the diner and some drinks at the Founding Fathers outside of their work hours. Although Brennan had found those occasions very enjoyable, she had to admit that she was eager for more.

The sound of someone approaching pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up and smiled warmly as the object of her musings came into view.

"Hey Bones," Booth spoke happily, "who have you got there?"

Suddenly remembering that there was indeed a skeleton on the table in front of her waiting to be identified, Brennan blushed and replied, "Actually, I'm not sure. I haven't yet established the identity of these remains. I've, um," she looked at him shyly from underneath her eyelashes, "I've been a bit distracted."

Booth smiled broadly and sidled up closer to her, "You have, huh?"

Brennan knew that she was giving his ego a boost by admitting that she of all people had allowed herself to become distracted from her work because of her feelings for him. Once, not so long ago, that would have been utterly unacceptable to her. Now however, she felt a warmth suffuse her being as she acknowledged that, although still frightening to her at times, those emotions made her feel alive.

Booth brought his hand to her face and leant down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Brennan smiled at him affectionately. She knew Booth was holding back at her request. While she delighted in his physical displays of affection for her, she had requested during their talk that night in his apartment that they maintain an air of professionalism in the workplace. Thus, she and Booth would not be making use of the replica of Cleopatra's bed, or any of the numerous closets in the Jeffersonian which Angela and Hodgins had frequented!

Booth pulled back and took her hand in his. Sure, he was willing to keep things professional, but that didn't mean that he couldn't treat her like his girlfriend when no one else was around. _Girlfriend_, he thought with a tinge of wonder, for as long as he had wished for it, he had never really allowed himself to believe that he would ever be able to refer to Brennan as anyone other than his partner.

"I was coming to find you to tell you that I made some plans for us this evening."

Brennan cocked her head, her expression reflecting her curiosity.

"Oh, care to enlighten me?"

Booth grinned, "Actually Bones, this is gonna be a surprise."

Brennan frowned and her face took on an almost pouty expression, which Booth found adorable on her normally controlled features.

"I don't like surprises Booth. Besides, how will I know how to prepare if you withhold the details from me?"

Booth chuckled, "It's not a combat mission Bones, it's a date. I've taken care of everything, just be ready at 8 tonight and I'll pick you up at your place."

Brennan sighed, she disliked not having all the facts, however she trusted Booth, and couldn't quite suppress the thrill that she felt when she thought of what Booth might have in store for her.

"Fine. However, I do insist on knowing what kind of outfit I should wear, I would hate to be inappropriately dressed."

Booth smiled, she was persistent. "Just think Roxy with a classy, formal twist."

A sly smile appeared on Brennan's lips. Roxy had been the alias she had adopted on a case four years previously, involving an underground fighting ring. She recalled with pleasure the look of appreciation which had appeared on Booth's face when she had emerged wearing the sexy little black number he had chosen for her.

Brennan replied with a glint in her eye that made Booth's heart speed up, her voice taking on a decidedly sultry tone, "Very well, I'm certain I will be able to locate suitable attire." She leant closer to him and Booth could smell her perfume. "Is there anything else I should know?"

Booth gulped, she certainly knew how to affect him, and he was almost certain that Brennan was trying to throw him off guard and get him to reveal more information about his plans.

Not to be outdone however, Booth invaded her personal space and brushed up against her, his own voice lowering, "Not a thing, you just worry about your 'suitable attire,' leave the rest to me."

Brennan smiled as Booth kissed her softly, taking a few seconds longer that Brennan's 'professionalism' rule would normally have allowed.

Booth pulled away, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "So, I'll see you tonight."

Brennan, who had been caught up in the intimacy of the moment, a feeling that was still so new to her, could only murmur, "Uh huh."

A cocky grin that matched his favorite belt buckle flashed across his face. Rendering the usually eloquent Dr. Temperance Brennan speechless? He could get used to this.

He gave her one last brief kiss and moved towards the door, turning back just before he reached it to remind her, "Pick you up at 8."

Brennan smiled, having recovered from her momentary Booth-induced daze, "I'll be ready."

Grinning broadly, Booth left the room, leaving behind him a now very distracted forensic anthropologist.

)()()()()()()()()()()(

Several hours later, having successfully identified the remains in limbo, Brennan returned to her office to complete the necessary paperwork. As she had begun her work early, it was only just after 12 in the afternoon, and thus she still had plenty of time before her date with Booth.

Brennan felt a flutter in her stomach as she thought of the evening ahead, what she believed would metaphorically be referred to as 'butterflies.' It was slightly disquieting to feel nervous about spending time with Booth, something she had done innumerable times in the past. However, she was acutely aware that the dynamic of their relationship had now fundamentally changed, and therefore the fact that she was experiencing emotions not normally associated with Booth was to be expected.

Just as Brennan was settling down to her paperwork, Angela came into her office and stood expectantly in front of Brennan's desk, a saucy grin evident on her face.

"Sooooo … what are your plans with Booth tonight?"

Brennan frowned, she hadn't mentioned anything to Angela, and she couldn't imagine that Booth had either.

"How did you know we had plans?"

"Well," Angela took a seat opposite Brennan, "this is the first time since you and Booth started dating that you haven't been swamped with work, so I figured he'd be taking you out someplace nice to, you know, kick things up a notch."

Brennan's mouth curved into a smile, "By 'kick things up a notch,' I assume you are referring to sexual intercourse. Ange, Booth and I agreed to take this relationship slowly. We are not at that stage yet."

Angela sighed and leant forward in her seat, regarding Brennan with a patient expression on her face that she usually wore when trying to explain a social concept that Brennan was struggling to understand.

"Sweetie, I get that you didn't want to jump straight into sex with Booth. You've been through a lot and you needed time to adjust. But it's been over two weeks Bren, and you've waited years for this. Maybe it's time to stop thinking and start feeling."

Brennan took a deep breath and let her head fall back against the back of her seat. "It's not that I don't want to Angela, I do, very much, it's just … it's just that it's taken Booth and I so long to get to this point. I'm afraid of pushing too fast. I'm new at this. Relationships haven't exactly gone well for me in the past."

Angela nodded sympathetically. "I get it Sweetie, and you're right, just don't wait too long okay?" She chuckled, "You know what they say, use it or lose it."

Brennan frowned, "I don't know what that means."

Angela shook her head and changed the subject. "So, where is Booth taking you?"

"Actually, I have no idea," Brennan replied, "Booth is insisting on keeping the details of our date tonight a secret. All I know is that he wants me to wear something formal yet classy."

Angela grinned conspiratorially, "Formal yet classy with a side of sexy?"

Brennan smiled, thinking about her Roxy persona, and answered coyly, "You could say that, yes."

Angela shifted in her seat excitedly, "Tell me you're gonna splash out on something new?"

"To be honest Ange," Brennan answered, "I was just planning on wearing one of the evening dresses I have in my closet."

Angela rolled her eyes dramatically and said in exasperation, "Sweetie no! Come on Bren, this is you and Booth's first official date. You have to get a new dress, new shoes … maybe some new lingerie …"

Brennan sighed, "Ange …"

"I know, I know, you're not at that stage yet," Angela reluctantly conceded, "but you will be at some point and you should be prepared."

Seeing that Brennan was still skeptical, Angela pulled out the best friend card. "Okay Bren, here's the deal. I'm the size of a house right now, I can't fit into the sexy lingerie that I usually _love_ to wear, and nor will I be able to for some time after this baby is born. So, I'm counting on my best friend to indulge me and agree to let me take her shopping for sexy clothes. What do you say?"

Brennan was about to object again, but, seeing the almost pleading look in Angela's eyes, replied, "Okay, alright, if it will make you happy. Booth is picking me up at 8, so if we are heading to the mall then we ought to leave soon."

Angela jumped to her feet in excitement, or as much as she could given the size of her pregnant belly, and reached over to pull Brennan to her feet.

"Thank you Sweetie! You are an amazing friend!"

Brennan smiled at Angela's exuberance. She would most likely never understand how enthusiastic some women got over the prospect of acquiring new garments, particularly when those garments were to be worn by another person.

As the two friends were preparing to leave, Hodgins chose that moment to enter Brennan's office, having successfully tracked down his wife.

"Hey, I've been looking for you. Things are kinda quiet around here today, wanna grab lunch?"

Angela smiled affectionately at her husband, "Aww, sorry babe, Brennan and I have shopping plans this afternoon." She winked at Brennan. "Top secret girl's only business."

Brennan rolled her eyes and chuckled as Hodgins pouted, "So who am I supposed to spend lunch with?"

"What about one of the squinterns?" Angela suggested, "I know we don't have a case right now, but isn't one of them in today?" She chuckled, "Maybe you could do one of your ill-advised experiments or something?

Hodgins' eyes went wide and his tone became high pitched, "With Daisy? You want me to hang out with Daisy?"

Angela stroked his arm sympathetically, "Oh, sorry hon, I thought maybe it was Wendell or Clark today. Well you're just gonna have to hang out yourself this time, Bren and I have important shopping to do."

With that she kissed him on the cheek and grabbed Brennan's arm and pulled her out the door.

Brennan sent an apologetic glance back at Hodgins, who was left standing alone, wondering if maybe his latest bug collection would provide some entertainment.

)()()()()()()()()()()()(

"Ange, this is useless, I'm never going to find anything here." Brennan lamented as she rejected yet another dress Angela had picked out.

Angela sighed and replaced the rejected garment on the rack and turned to face her friend.

"May I say, Bren, I think you're being a little fussy. What was wrong with the blue one?"

Brennan was exasperated and rapidly discovering that her tastes differed significantly from Angela's.

"Ange, it had frills on it and a slit so far up the back you could practically see my ass! That's not classy, that's …"

Angela frowned, "Slutty? What does that say about me?"

Brennan's eyes widened as she tried to backpedal, "No, Ange, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant, I –"

She was cut off by Angela's chuckle, "Geez Sweetie I was just kidding, you really need to lighten up! This is supposed to be fun."

Brennan's gaze turned skeptical as she glanced around the clothing store, wandering how anyone could possibly find this activity enjoyable.

Then she saw it.

The flash of red was what had caught her attention at first. Moving over to examine it more closely, Brennan discovered that, in addition to its halter draped neckline, the dress was floor length with an open back V that reached down to the bra-line.

Brennan smiled. Although she had worn the black dress when she and Booth had first adopted their Roxy and Tony personas, Brennan had later worn a red one when she had watched 'Tony' fight, something she had to admit had been quite a turn on.

"This one," Brennan said with certainty.

Angela, who had followed Brennan when she had spotted the dress, whistled approvingly.

"Nice choice Bren, this'll have studly eating out of the palm of your hand."

Brennan grinned, she was sure that this dress matched the formal yet classy requirement, with Angela's side of sexy thrown in for good measure.

After trying on and paying for the dress, Brennan had hoped she would be able to head back to the lab for a few hours before she had to go home and get ready. Angela had other plans however as she led Brennan out the door.

"Okay. Dress, check. We still need shoes and lingerie though," she nudged Brennan, "no arguments. Oh wait," Angela pulled Brennan to an abrupt stop, much to the annoyance of the shoppers following behind them, "have you got a purse that goes with that dress? What about jewelry? Do you know what you're going to do with your hair?"

Brennan was beginning to feel more than a little overwhelmed.

"Ange, please, would you stop? You're making me nervous. Yes I have a number of suitable purses to choose from, and a large selection of jewelry. As for my hair, I'm quite certain that I will be able to style it appropriately."

Angela patted her arm, "Sorry Sweetie, I'm just so excited for you! Okay, there's a Victoria's Secret in this mall, along with some great shoe stores. We'll have you sorted in no time."

Sensing Brennan's lingering hesitation, Angela assured her, "Then I'll back off, I promise."

Brennan sighed in resignation and allowed herself to be led in the direction of the lingerie store.

)()()()()()()()()(

At 7.55 that evening, Brennan stood in her bedroom in front of her full length mirror.

She had to admit that Angela's impromptu shopping trip had actually paid off, despite how much it had tried her patience. The black strappy heels she now wore complemented the dress perfectly, as did the black and red detailed lace she wore underneath. Brennan blushed slightly when she thought about the possibility that Booth might later get to see that particular purchase. She had added some volumizer to her hair and chosen some of her more delicate jewelry to complete the look. Given Angela's seeming obsession with Brennan's outfit for the evening, Brennan was slightly surprised that Angela had not asked for a photograph of the finished product.

Brennan took a deep breath and smoothed down her dress nervously, brushing off imaginary lint in an attempt to calm herself.

_It's just Booth_, she chastised herself, no reason to be nervous.

Except of course, the non-rational part of her brain persisted in reminding her, this wasn't just Booth, her partner and friend. This was Booth, her date and would-be lover.

The sudden knock at the door did nothing to calm her nerves.

She glanced at herself one final time in the mirror, grabbed her purse and jacket from the bed, and went to answer the door.

When she reached the door and pulled it open, she couldn't quite stifle a gasp at what she saw.

Booth stood in her doorway wearing a crisp, black tuxedo, his 'charm' smile in full force across his face. The smile soon changed to one of awe and not a little hint of desire when he regarded the woman in front of him.

"Bones, you look … you look …"

Suddenly unsure, Brennan asked, "Is this dress not appropriate? I, I can go change."

Seeming to recover himself, Booth reached out to touch her arm reassuringly, "No, no Bones, it's just … you look amazing."

Brennan blushed and smiled at him, "Thank you Booth, you look very handsome."

They stood for a moment, just admiring each other, before Brennan's curiosity won out.

"So, now can you tell me where you're taking me?"

A teasing glint appeared in Booth's eyes as he replied, "Nope. You're just going to have to wait a bit longer. It'll be worth it, I promise."

Brennan smiled and rolled her eyes, deciding to indulge Booth and be patient. A thrill made its way up her spine as Booth placed his hand on the small of her back, and gently guided her out the door.

)()()()()()()()()()(

As she had suspected given the timing of their date, Booth had brought her to a restaurant. What she had not expected was what lay beyond the set of gold embossed glass doors.

The interior was beautifully decorated, the intimate lighting only adding to the romantic atmosphere. The carpet was a deep red, yet only covered part of the floor, as at the center of the room was a laminated wooden dance floor, upon which a number of couples were swaying to music provided by a live instrumental band seated to the left of the entrance. Small tables clearly designed for couples surrounded the dance floor in a horse shoe, and were covered with pure white table cloths and red candle centerpieces. The layout had been well designed, allowing couples to move easily between their tables and the dance floor, yet leaving enough space between the two areas to allow couples to have privacy if they did not wish to dance.

Brennan was impressed.

A man wearing a formal black suit approached them. Booth gave him the details of his reservation, and the man, after gesturing for a nearby waitress to take Brennan's jacket, escorted them to a table on the far side of the restaurant by one of the windows.

Upon taking their seats, Booth was offered the wine list and they were each handed a menu. After quickly consulting with Brennan, he ordered a bottle of vintage Bordeaux, while Brennan began to peruse the menu.

Booth opened his and grinned, "I know you're a vegetarian Bones, but I really fancy a nice piece of meat."

Brennan looked up from her menu and smiled, "Fillet Mignon?"

Booth frowned, "Now why can't they just call it steak? Why do they have to get all fancy about it?"

Never one to resist sharing her knowledge, Brennan replied, "It's French, Booth. In fact, in France they refer to the same cut of meat as 'filet de boeuf.'"

Booth threw her a skeptical glance, "But it's still beef, right?"

Brennan smiled affectionately, well aware of Booth's habitual desire to keep things simple, "Yes Booth, it's beef."

Satisfied, Booth replied, "Well I'll have that then. What about you?"

Looking back at her menu, Brennan ran her eyes over the vegetarian dishes.

"Hmm, I think I might get the mushroom and artichoke risotto, with a side of mixed green salad."

Booth screwed up his face, a look which reminded Brennan of Parker when she had watched his father attempt to persuade him to eat his vegetables.

"Okaaaay, Bones, whatever you like."

Booth gestured for a waiter to come over, who, after taking their order, crossed the room and disappeared through a set of cream and gold colored doors that led to the kitchen.

Their wine arriving soon after, Booth and Brennan settled into comfortable conversation, discussing everything from Parker's latest science project to Brennan's plans for her next book.

After about twenty minutes, their meals arrived and they both began to eat. Brennan smiled as she watched Booth enjoy his beef, which he was tucking into with gusto.

She too was enjoying her meal, and a companionable silence settled over them, both content simply to be in each other's company.

Once they had finished and their plates had been cleared away, Booth leant closer to Brennan and asked, "Would you like to dance with me, Bones?"

Brennan smiled and nodded, accepting the hand he held out to her as they got to their feet and made their way over to the dance floor.

The band was playing a soft yet sultry jazz number, encouraging the dancing couples to gently sway in each other's arms.

Leading Brennan to an empty spot to the side of the floor, Booth put his arm around her waist and took her hand in his, pulling her flush up against him. Brennan in turn slid her free hand up Booth's back, settling just below his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.

Brennan closed her eyes and relaxed into the slow rhythm of the music, feeling more content than she could ever remember feeling. Booth allowed his head to fall against Brennan's hair, smiling and sending a silent prayer of thanks to a God he knew Brennan would never believe in for helping them get this far.

Booth glanced momentarily at the other couples dancing nearby, noticing that a number of them were talking quietly with each other. Booth smiled and realized that words were not necessary between him and Brennan, the two having long ago perfected a method of silent communication which was imperceptible to those around them.

Suddenly feeling the overwhelming urge to express how he felt, he placed his hand lightly beneath her chin and gently raised her head from his shoulder. Her eyes met his and he smiled at the look of contentment on her face. She had always been beautiful to him, yet over the years he had seen more pain, anger and fear pass across her delicate features than he had happiness and joy. She had deserved far better than the life her parents had left her with, and Booth was determined that he would show her how wonderful and fulfilling life could be.

Moving his hand from below her chin to caress her cheek, Booth leant forward and placed his lips on hers. What began as a gentle and languorous display of affection soon progressed into a much more passionate kiss. Booth pulled Brennan even closer to him as his hand travelled down her waist to settle just above her rear. Meanwhile, Brennan's hand moved to curl around the back of Booth's neck and pressed his lips harder against hers.

Neither was sure which one of them broke the kiss, but when they did they were left panting and suddenly acutely aware of their very public surroundings.

Instead of being embarrassed however, both were now struggling with feelings of intense desire and longing that, after over five years of waiting, could barely be contained.

Booth's pants suddenly felt tight and constricting, while Brennan was grateful that the lace she wore underneath her dress concealed her now painfully hard nipples.

They locked eyes with each other, and Booth spoke in a slightly breathless tone, "Do you want to get out of here?"

Brennan nodded, "Yes, very much so."

Taking her hand and leading her back to their table, Booth took care of the check while Brennan retrieved her purse.

They then made their way hurriedly to the door, only stopping to pick up Brennan's jacket and say goodnight to the maitre d'.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Booth hailed a taxi cab and put his arm around Brennan's waist, causing a flutter of desire to course through her as she thought of how her evening would end.

**What? You thought we were getting to the good bit in this chapter? Sorry guys but you'll need to wait for the final chapter, I'm such a tease aren't I? I promise to try and post it soon, although reviews would make me write faster, hint hint ;) Seriously though, thank you so much for reading and I would really love to hear what you thought. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, so I know it was very mean of me to leave the last chapter where I did, so I hope this one is worth the wait. I'm sorry it's taken a few days longer than I thought, between a carbon monoxide leak in my building and too much post-degree result celebrating, I haven't had much time to sit down and write. **

**Some of you have mentioned that Booth and Brennan's behavior on the dance floor was a bit inappropriate for such an upscale place. Quite right, although I have to say that it had nothing to do with me. After all, can you really blame them for acting that way after Hart Hanson has kept them waiting for 6 years? At least you guys only had to wait a few days. Not so cruel now, am I? :P**

**Once again I'd like to say a huge thank you for all the reviews, story alerts and favorites for this story. It's a huge compliment considering this is my first attempt at fanfiction. Thanks especially to those of you who have reviewed continuously, you've really encouraged me to keep writing. **

**Okay, enough from me, let's get back to the action, which is what we're all here for now, isn't it? :D **

The ride back from the restaurant had been pure torture for Booth, who had required all his concentration just to ground out Brennan's address to the cab driver, before he had to focus all his attention on not making a spectacle of himself in the backseat by hauling Brennan on top of him. His fingers ached to touch her, but he didn't relish the thought of Deputy Director Hacker's reaction if he were to find out one of his Special Agents had been slapped with a public indecency order, so Booth reluctantly kept his hands to himself.

He realized, with a slight tinge of embarrassment, that they had probably been a bit more open with their affections back on the dance floor than perhaps they should have been. However, he admitted to himself, he wouldn't have cared if they had been dining in the most upscale place in America, his reaction to Brennan and the way she had felt in his arms would have been exactly the same.

Booth recalled a similar incident where it had been necessary to keep his desire for his partner in check. During a case a year earlier where he had had the misfortune to be present at a bank robbery gone wrong, and had subsequently ended up covered in exploded human remains, Brennan had undressed him at the lab in order to use his clothes as evidence.

In trying to control his body's reaction to the fact that Brennan's face had been level with his groin, Booth had begun reciting the names of the Saints. He figured now would be a great time to try that trick again.

"_St. Joseph, St. Peter … Bones undoing the buttons on his shirt, Bones running her hands over his chest… No, focus! St. Paul, St. John … Bones undoing his belt buckle, Bones sliding his belt through his pants … damn it!_

At least, he thought happily, Brennan didn't seem to be in any better shape than he was. Her hands clenched and unclenched every few seconds in her lap, her nails plucking at the delicate material of her dress. Her cheeks were flushed and she was trying her best not to look at him, preferring instead to stare out the window, whilst studiously trying to avoid focusing on the reflection Booth cast on the glass.

When they finally reached Brennan's apartment, Booth practically threw a $20 bill at the driver and pushed open the door, grabbing Brennan's hand and half hauling her out of the vehicle and onto the street.

As he drove away, the cab driver chuckled to himself and re-pocketed the change he had been about to give Booth. These weren't the first two passengers to be rather desperate to get home after an evening out. He wagered that those fancy outfits they were wearing wouldn't be staying on for long.

)()()()()()()()()(

When they made it to Brennan's apartment less than a minute later, Brennan fumbled with her keys to as she attempted to open the door. Booth sighed with frustration and silently thought that it would be faster if he just kicked the damn thing down. Rather than end up with a destruction of property penalty, which he realized was only mildly preferable to a public indecency order, Booth waited until Brennan finally got the key to turn in the lock.

Brennan had barely had time to close and lock the door behind them before Booth had her pushed up against the wall, his hands seemingly everywhere at once while his lips assaulted hers. It only took Brennan a moment to recover before her own hands began their enthusiastic exploration of Booth's body, touching everywhere she could reach. In less than a minute both their jackets were in a heap on the floor, Booth seemingly unconcerned with getting the deposit back on his tux.

Somewhere beyond the rush of hormones and passionate desire however, an alarm bell was sounding in Brennan's mind. She pulled her lips away from Booth's and pushed his shoulders away slightly.

"Wait," she said, trying to catch her breath, "is this too soon? You made it quite clear when we began this relationship that you did not want to rush the physical element. Are we going too fast?"

The part of Booth's mind which was currently ruled by his raging desire for Brennan screamed in protest, was she kidding? Knowing how difficult it had been for them to get to this point, however, Booth was reluctant to push her if she felt that she wasn't ready. More than that, he realized, the fact that she had taken what he had said so seriously and was willing to forgo the physical side of their relationship in favor of the emotional, was a huge step for Brennan, and Booth did not want to take it for granted.

He took one of the hands which had pushed against his shoulders and placed it over her heart, echoing his actions during their conversation at the reflecting pool.

"How do you feel, Bones?"

Trying to push through the pulses of desire that were still coursing through her body in response to Booth's proximity, Brennan struggled for a moment to order her thoughts.

How did she feel? Aroused, that was for damn sure. However, she knew that it was her emotional feelings rather than her physical ones to which Booth was referring.

She thought back to the past few weeks and how truly happy she had been, not contented or merely satisfied, but _happy_. In a stark contrast to the woman she had been when she had first met Booth, she no longer perceived a monogamous relationship as something illogical and counterproductive, something that would threaten her independence and force her to expose herself to feelings she had always refused to admit that she even possessed.

When Hannah had first come to D.C., Angela had told Brennan that she and Booth had always been a couple, they just weren't having sex. Although that statement was technically inaccurate, Brennan now believed that she understood what Angela had meant. She and Booth had shared more of themselves with each other than they had with any of the other people in their lives, and had developed the kind of trust which is only formed between two people who have been through hell and back together, and come out stronger on the other side. Brennan knew she would always hold strongly to science and reason, they were part of what made her who she was, yet, standing in the arms of the man who had changed her life so fundamentally, she believed that for the first time in her life, she was capable of experiencing so much more.

She felt Booth's eyes on her, waiting patiently for her reply, and said the only thing which she thought would adequately convey her feelings.

"I feel like I'm ready to learn the difference between crappy sex and making love."

Booth smiled at the reference to a conservation they had once had in the diner, and was determined to convince her that no amount of 'pony play' or any other fetish could ever compare with what they were about to do.

Not wanting to wait a second longer, Booth took her hand and led her through to her bedroom, a room which, until now, he had never entered.

As happy as he was to be finally taking this step with Brennan, he couldn't help but scowl slightly when he thought of a certain person who had been in Brennan's bedroom before him – Sully.

Sensing the change in his mood, Brennan pulled him the rest of the way into her bedroom and took his hand, giving him a questioning look.

"What's wrong, Booth? I told you, I'm completely sure about this."

Booth shook his head slightly, embarrassed by the feelings of jealousy and insecurity that he couldn't seem to control.

"No, Bones, it's not that. It's …" he struggled for the right words to explain himself, "Not long after Sully left, you told me and Gordon Gordon that sex with him was 'incredible,' so now I'm worried that, you know, I won't …"

Brennan knew where this was going, and was for once regretful of her forthright nature which had caused her to mention that.

"You're worried that you won't measure up somehow? That I will consciously be comparing your physical attributes and sexual prowess with Sully's?"

Booth sighed, sometimes he really hated it when Brennan put his feelings in such a scientific context. Her next words put him at ease, however, in a way that he was sure was completely unique to her.

"You have nothing to be concerned about, Booth. You have taught me that there is more to life than science, that sometimes what one _feels _is more important that what one can empirically observe or experience. This is not some kind of experiment where I will compare two methods and determine which one is most effective."

She took his other hand and looked at him intently, willing him to understand her.

"But, if I were to consider this a scientific experiment, then I would be required to take into account a very important variable. That variable is the fact that I feel more for you than I ever did for Sully, and thus, if I am to accept your supposition that sexual intercourse is inherently more pleasurable if there are deep feelings involved, then I can only conclude that my sexual experience with you will be far superior to that which I experienced with Sully."

Booth's face split into a wide grin as he pulled Brennan tightly into his arms.

"Have I ever told you how much I love it when you talk all squinty like that?

Brennan chuckled, "I was under the impression that you often found it confusing and a little tiresome."

Booth replied, "Yeah, well, I may not always understand what you're saying when it comes to all the sciencey stuff, but I believe you just told me that I'm going to be amazing in bed, so I think I'm happy to go with it this time."

Brennan laughed and slapped his chest playfully, "Well, I think it's about time we tested my hypothesis, don't you?"

Booth nodded as his gaze turned from playful to lustful. He slid his hands up Brennan's back and under the straps of her dress, pulling them gently down her arms and over her ample breasts. Brennan wriggled slightly and the dress fell to the floor and pooled at her feet.

Booth stared transfixed at Brennan's breasts, clad only in a low cut black lace bra with red swirls stitched into the fabric. Brennan smiled at Booth's obvious appreciation, and silently thanked Angela for her insistence on this particular purchase.

Tearing his eyes from her breasts, Booth let his gaze travel down the rest of his body, stopping when he reached the matching panties which barely covered what lay underneath.

Taking advantage of his distracted state, Brennan loosened the bow tie around his neck and pulled it free from the collar of his shirt, tossing it aside. She then turned her attention to the buttons of his shirt, fumbling slightly as she felt Booth's hands drifting up towards the clasp of her bra, he now having recovered from his fixation with her lingerie.

Just as Booth succeeded in snapping open the bra clasp, Brennan managed to undo the last of his shirt buttons, pulling it open and exposing his chest to her gaze. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes focused on the scar he had gained when he had taken a bullet meant for her. She had seen it before, of course, the day she had barged into his bathroom demanding an explanation as to why she had not been told about his faked death. She had been so hurt and angry then. She couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes as she thought of how close she had come to losing him that night, and for the two weeks afterwards when she thought that she really had.

Brennan leant closer and placed a gentle kiss on the scar, blocking out the violence and pain of the memory. Booth stroked her hair, tears forming in his own eyes at the intimacy of the gesture. Hannah had once asked him about that scar, but he had brushed her off by saying that it was just another wound he had received in the army. Although his actions of that night were common knowledge to those who had witnessed them, the motivations behind them were not. He hadn't taken a bullet for his partner out of duty – he had taken a bullet for the woman he loved. It just hadn't felt right admitting that to Hannah.

Tilting her head up gently, Booth kissed her deeply and tenderly, doing everything he could to convey the depth of his feelings for her. Brennan moaned as she felt Booth's tongue seek out hers. Her hands moved back to his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders and down his arms, letting it fall to the floor to join her dress.

Booth broke the kiss to finish removing her bra, while Brennan moved to undo his cocky belt buckle and slide his belt off. Booth smiled as he recalled his thoughts during the cab ride over, there was certainly no need to recite the saints now.

He gasped when he felt Brennan's nimble fingers unzip his pants and push them to the floor. Brennan smiled appreciatively at the bulge in Booth's underwear, the sight causing the wetness in her own to increase.

Not to be outdone, Booth ran his hands up Brennan's torso and cupped her breasts, lightly pinching her nipples and causing Brennan's breath to hitch in her throat.

Deciding the time for gentle exploration would come later, Brennan slipped her thumbs into the waistband of Booth's boxers and pushed them to the ground. Stepping out of her dress and kicking off her shoes, Brennan slid her panties down her slender legs and threw them in the pile of her other clothes.

Sensing her desire to move things along, Booth too stepped out of the pool of his own clothing and toed off his shoes, leaving them both completely naked and breathing heavily.

Looking at Booth through lust-filled eyes, Brennan walked backwards towards the bed, her hips swaying seductively. When she felt her thighs brush against the mattress, Brennan sat down and shuffled back so that her whole body was spread out enticingly across the bed. Bracing herself on her hands and pushing her breasts out towards him, Brennan smiled coyly from underneath her eyelashes.

Booth stood momentarily unable to move, his mouth slightly open and his erection throbbing almost painfully.

She was the single most beautiful and sexy thing he had ever seen, and he couldn't believe how many times over the years he had come so close to never seeing this side of her.

Brennan was still smiling at him, although her expression now reflected something which her earlier confidence had hidden from him – nervousness.

This realization shook Booth from his daze and he moved quickly over to the bed. He lay down on his back beside Brennan and gently pulled her to lie on top of him, moving his hand up to caress her face.

"Are you okay, Bones?"

Brennan nodded, yet her eyes still betrayed her nerves. "I … I am unaccustomed to feeling this way, Booth. I am normally very confident in my sexual encounters, yet I find myself feeling very nervous now."

Booth smiled and looked at her reassuringly, "Bones, I think we established earlier that this isn't just another 'sexual encounter.' This is making love, and I think you're nervous because you know that it's going to be more intense than anything you've experienced before, and maybe that still scares you a little."

A small smile appeared on Brennan's lips. She could always rely on Booth to help her understand her own feelings, especially when they were at odds with her rational mind.

"I think you're right, Booth. But I don't want to be scared of my feelings anymore. Lauren Eames was scared of hers and it cost her her life and her only chance at happiness. I thought I was happy once Booth, but I never realized just how much I was missing until you came and turned my universe upside down."

Booth smiled as he recalled their conversation in his SUV, "For three days?"

Brennan leant down closer to him and whispered, "No – forever."

"Oh, Bones." Booth's voice was thick with emotion. He knew what she was saying, and what it cost for her to say it out loud. He had taught her to believe that there was more to the world than science and logic and chemical reactions in the brain. By her own admission the night she had made a toast to Jarred and Padme's relationship in the Founding Fathers, she now believed that love really existed. She might not have said it to him yet, and Booth knew that it might be a long time coming, but looking into her eyes now and feeling the truth behind the words she had spoken, he had to believe that she loved him, with the same power and intensity that he loved her.

Wrapping his arms around her and rolling her gently underneath him, Booth kissed her deeply, wanting her to know how much what she had said meant to him.

Brennan brought her leg up over Booth's back and pulled him closer to her, moaning as she felt his erection brush against her entrance. She was suddenly overcome with the desire to be joined with Booth, to finally experience what it meant to lose herself in another person and let her feelings consume her.

She shifted her hips underneath his, and Booth, sensing her desire and rapidly becoming overcome by his own, raised himself up slightly and let himself slip inside her, groaning as he felt her wet heat envelop him.

Brennan moaned and squeezed her eyes shut in pleasure as she felt her walls stretch to accommodate him. Her eyes flew open a second later as Booth's lips closed over her left nipple, his hips having settled into a rhythm that was slowly driving her towards her peak.

Recovering herself slightly, Brennan clenched her inner muscles and matched Booth's rhythm, causing him to groan into her breast, the vibrations sending pulses of pleasure throughout her body.

They were both panting now, and Booth began thrusting faster, hoping only that he could hold out long enough to allow Brennan her climax first.

He needn't have worried.

A few moments later, Brennan could only gasp and grasp Booth's shoulders tightly as a wave of indescribable pleasure rushed up to meet her, causing her to understand almost in an instant what Booth had been trying to tell her all along.

As she felt Booth stiffen and then explode inside of her, Brennan believed that she finally understood what making love was, and was more grateful than she could ever express that Booth had come along and pulled her out of the lab and into the world.

Recovering from his release, Booth raised himself up on his elbows and grinned happily at her.

"You okay there, Bones?"

Brennan felt a corresponding grin form on her face, "Absolutely, I'm more than okay, Booth. That was … that was absolutely wonderful. You were right, this was so much better than just sex."

"So," Booth just had to ask, "does that mean …?"

Brennan chuckled, "Yes, Booth, I take back what I once said about sex with Sully. What I sought back then was nothing more than a physical release, there was no emotional component. But what just happened here, that deserves to be called incredible."

Booth smiled and kissed her gently, "Thank you, Bones. And you're right, that was absolutely amazing."

With that he wrapped his arms around Brennan and rolled them over so that she was lying with her head on his chest. Brennan smiled and closed her eyes in contentment, feeling completely at peace for the first time in her life.

)()()()()()()()()(

The next morning found Brennan in her office, attempting to finish the paperwork she had left undone when Angela had dragged her off to the mall the previous day. Something she had to admit now had actually been a very worthwhile trip.

As if on cue, Angela came practically running into the room, a huge smile on her face.

"Sweetie! I've been waiting for you to come in! How was last night? I need details!"

Brennan laughed at Angela's enthusiasm, "Angela, you need to breathe. Hyperventilating is bad for you and the baby."

Angela shook of her friend's concern, "Oh, come on now, don't change the subject on me Bren! Did Booth like the lingerie? I mean, please tell me he actually _saw_ the lingerie?"

A smile came over Brennan's face as she replied, "Yes, Ange, Booth did see the lingerie, and yes, I believe he liked it very much."

Angela squealed in delight and hurried around the side of the desk to hug her friend, "Oh Sweetie, that's fantastic, I'm so happy for you!"

She pulled back and a saucy grin appeared on her face, "So, how was it? Was it amazing? Are there no words?"

Brennan chuckled and decided to indulge her best friend, "It was wonderful, Ange, and I'm very very happy. I feel that I should thank you for insisting that I purchase a new outfit for last night, it was certainly worth it."

Angela smiled and looked like she might be about to cry. Pregnancy hormones, Brennan surmised, although she knew that her friend was also very happy for her.

Recovering herself, Angela asked, "So, where did Booth take you before things got all hot 'n' heavy?"

Brennan was about to answer when a voice sounded from the doorway, "Hey, I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

Brennan smiled as Booth entered the room. Angela grinned and sashayed over to him, "Hey, studly. Good night, huh?"

Booth chuckled at Angela, he should of known that she would be quizzing Brennan as soon as possible about their night together.

"Hey, Angela."

Angela patted his arm and turned back to face Brennan, "I'll leave you two alone, Sweetie, but I want the rest of the story later."

She winked and walked out the door.

Booth crossed the room and stood before Brennan, taking her hand and caressing it with his thumb.

"So, I see you told Angela about what happened last night?"

A panicked look crossed Brennan's face, "I'm sorry, was I not supposed to? I barely told her anything, but you know what she's like, she – "

Booth silenced her by pressing his lips briefly against hers, mindful of Brennan's desire for professionalism in the workplace.

He pulled back and smiled, "Bones, don't worry, of course you were gonna tell Angela. And, besides, it's not as if we need to keep this a secret. Well," he amended, "maybe from Sweets, at least for a while."

Brennan smiled in relief, "I would agree with that."

Both so preoccupied with each other, neither heard the footsteps approaching, until a voice made them turn towards the door.

"Hey, Tempe. Booth."

Brennan felt Booth's grip tighten on her hand, his whole body tensing. Before she could react, Booth spoke roughly, "What do you want, Sully?"

Sully stepped into the room, "I came here to apologize, to both of you, for what happened a few weeks ago. I was outta line."

Booth dropped Brennan's hand and stalked over to Sully, who moved back a step, fearing that he was about to be violently introduced to another wall of the Jeffersonian.

"Which part are you apologizing for exactly, huh? The part where you accused me of not caring about Bones in front of the entire lab, or the part where you implied to her that I was an unfit father?"

Sully hesitated, "Look, Booth I'm sorry, I was just trying to -"

Booth jabbed a finger into Sully's chest, "Did I say I was ready to hear more of your crap? That I want to hear more of your 'insights' into my relationship with Bones? And, while we're on the subject of my _girlfriend_, where the hell do you get off telling her that she has nothing more to her life than her work? Well, I'll tell you one thing pal, she has way more in her life than that, she has ME!"

Sully looked stunned, "Girlfriend?"

Brennan crossed the room and placed her hand on Booth's arm, pulling him away from Sully, "Yes, girlfriend."

Booth smiled triumphantly, but Brennan wasn't finished, "I don't condone Booth's actions towards you, Sully," Booth's smile faltered, "however, he does have a point. You had no right to turn up after all these years and make snap judgments about our lives."

Yeah, Booth thought, stick it to him, Bones.

Sully sighed, "I know that, Tempe, and I'm sorry, I really am. But, hey," he said jovially, "it looks like it worked out in the end, right?"

Booth moved to advance on Sully again, but Brennan held him back, "While I have to admit that what you said did serve as a catalyst for Booth and I moving forward in our relationship, we would have worked things out eventually in our own way. We most definitely did not require a misinformed pseudo-psychological analysis from you. We have Dr. Sweets for that."

Sully had the grace to look contrite, "Okay, Tempe. I'm sorry. I've decided that I don't want to go back to the FBI after all, so you won't be seeing me around. I just … wanted to come by and apologize."

Brennan nodded, "Then I accept your apology." She turned to Booth, "Booth?"

Booth still looked pissed and sighed. He really didn't want to accept anything from this guy, but he didn't want Bones to think he was a jerk even more. Although he would probably never forgive Sully for what he had said, he and Bones were together now, and that was all that really mattered.

Reluctantly, Booth nodded to Sully, "Fine, thanks for apologizing, or whatever."

Knowing that was probably the best she would get out of him, Brennan turned back to Sully.

"Goodbye, Sully. I wish you the best."

Sully smiled, "Thanks, Tempe, you too. Bye."

He moved to give Brennan a hug, but, seeing Booth's menacing glare, thought better of it and simply walked out the door.

Brennan turned to Booth, "Was that display of alpha male aggression absolutely necessary, Booth?"

Booth looked embarrassed, "Look, Bones, I'm sorry, but, you know the guy kinda deserved it. Even if I did go a little caveman on him."

Brennan couldn't help but smile. She moved towards him and put her hand on his chest, "Yes, I suppose he did, but I would prefer it if you would try to restrain your inner caveman, at least," she smiled seductively, "when we're at work."

Booth grinned broadly and put his arm around her, "I can do that, Bones. I can do that."

**Okay guys, that's it for this story. I'm actually going to miss writing this, but I have some ideas for a few other stories, so I'll try to get onto them as soon as I can. Please leave a review and let me know if you enjoyed this chapter, I hope it gave everyone what they were looking for! Thank you so much for reading. Jo :D **


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